Display sign



W. B. F. HALL June 18, 1935.

DISPLAY SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1954 June 18, 1935.-

w. B. F. HALL 2,005,420

DISPLAY SIGN Filed-March 14, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 18, 1935 i 41:15m STATE-s PATENT OFFICE 17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display signs and it consists of the-matters'hereinafter described andmore'particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One of the objects of 'the'invention' is to provide a displaysign of such unique character as to attract and hold the attention, thus making-the sign ideal as an advertising medium.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign ofthiskind-capable of producing changing'eifects in the manner of ornamental combinationspwhichappear'to stand still or to have movement'in either direction.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide' a sign of this character employing luminous tubing arranged on moving and stationary supports-'in -the desired 'shape or form, in connect-i'on with means'for controlling the passage of electrical energy thereto, whereby the said tubingproduces an illusory effect that is bound to attraot'and' hold attention so as to make a positi ve display of such' advertising material as may be employed-"in connection with the sign;

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sign of this kind, which is-simple'in construction, is positive in operation and will remain operative for long periods of time without requiringservice attention.

The'above mentioned objects of the invention,

as well asothers, together with the many advantages thereof, will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In". the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a viewin front'elevation of a display sign embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 21s a vertical sectional view through the same on-"asomewhat-enlargedscale as taken on the line.2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3is a d'etailvertical sectional view through a'certain switch operating mechanism embodied in-thesign as taken on the line 3-'3 of Fig. 2.

Fig; tie a vertical detail sectional view on an enlarged-scale; through a partof the device, as taken on theli'nell of Fig. 2;

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of theinvention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

Siindicates an upright standard providing the main support for'th'e sign and which is provided at thetop'with ahorizontally disposed barrel or sleeve' 6. The shape-and structure of the standard are dependent of course, upon whether the sign is to be employed as a hanging one as from aside' wall' oi a building or a standing one as upon: the roof ofi a building or other structure.

When the sign is to be used as a standing one, the standard is provided at its bottom end with a base 1 of such area as will insure thedesired stability therefor and will permit of its being securely held in place.

8 indicates a stationary support in the form of an annular plate arranged concentric with the sleeve, in a vertical plane spaced inward- 1y from the front end of the sleeve 6. This stationary support, which is provided with a central opening 9 to accommodate parts associated with the sleeve 6, is in itself supported from the standard by means of a plurality of radial arms H-l I. The outer marginal part of. this stationary support is offset forwardly to provide an annular band portion i7. having an edge finishing flange I 3. The band portion 12 which carries a suitable surface finish, in this instance, is employed as the annular dial of a clock. At suitable points on the front face of the annular dial, are numerals l4, preferably outlined by luminous tubing. Only the numerals I2, 3, and 9 which indicate the quarter hours, are herein shown, it being understood of course, that the other associated numerals may also be employed if desired. The tubing of the various numerals are connected in series by the conductor 15 as best shown in Fig. 1. On the front face of the plate 8 near its center opening is a pair of spring contact fingers or brushes l6 and H respectively, the purpose of which will appear later.

Suitably mounted on the front end of the sleeve 6, as by means of the antifriction bearings I8, is a rotative support [9 in the form of an opaque disc. Thisdisc which is of a diameter approximating that of the inside diameter of the annular dial l2, occupies a plane slightly forwardly of the same and is provided with an edge finishing flange [9a. The bearing 18 also acts as an endthrust bearing to prevent undue shifting of the disc longitudinally of the sleeve 6. On the rear side of the disc, near its center is formed a hub having gear teeth 20 thereon.

A motor 2! is supported from the bottom side of the sleeve 6 and this motor has a pinion 22 on its armature shaft. The pinion meshes with the gear teeth 20 so that when the motor is in operation, the disc i9 is continuously driven. Also on the rear side of said disc is fixed a ring 23 of in- I ments 26 and 21 respectively in the form of luminous tubing. This tubing, of course, is of such strength as to be able to withstand bursting under the centrifugal action of the rotation of the disc. Preferably the elements 26 and 2'! are different in design or outline shape and may have different color effects. As shown herein, the in" ner element is generally of .a five pointed design, while the outer element is generally of a four pointed design and includes arms 28 that overhang the plane of the annular dial l2.

One end of the tubing of the element 21 is connected by a conductor 29 (see Fig. 1) with the outer collector ring 25 while the other end of said tubing is connected by a conductor 29a with one end of the tubing forming the inner elementffi. The other end of the tubing of said element 26 .is connected by a conductor 30 with the inner.

collector ring 24.

Thus the collector rings and the tubing of the element 262'! are connected together in series. The manner in which the respective rings are connected to current conductors, for illumination, will soon appear.

Suitably journalled within the sleeve 6 are outer and inner tubular arbors 3| and 32, with the latter projecting at both ends beyond the former and with the former projecting at both ends beyond the ends of the sleeve 6. On the front ends of said arbors are secured long and short members 33 and 34 which form the minute and hour hand respectively, for cooperation with the annular dial l2.

These arbors are driven in proper timed relation from their rear end as follows: On the rear end of the minute hand arbor is a gear 35. This gear meshes with a one-to-one gear 37 driven by a motor 38 whereby the arbor makes one revolution per hour. On the rear end of the outer or hour hand arbor is mounted a gear 39 which is driven from the gear 31 through suit able reduction gearing 40. Thus for every revolution of the minute hand 33, the hour hand moves through an arc of 30 which would correspond to the hour divisions on the annular dial.

The minute hand and the hour hand, are both outlined on their front side by luminous tubing 4! and," respectively and these tubings are connected in series with the tubing forming the numerals l2, 3, 6 and 9 on the annular dial as follows: On the inner arbor 32, in a plane between the hands 33-34 is fixed a disc of insulation 43 that carries a collector ring 44 on its rear side. The input side of the tubing 4| has a conductor 45 connected thereto and which con ductor leads off from the output side of the tubing forming the numerals 3, 6, 9 and 12. This conductor is positioned axially in the arbor 32. The output side of said tubing has connected thereto a conductor 46 that extends through the disc 43 to be connected to the collector ring M thereon. The hour hand or outer arbor, carries at its front end a brush 4'! that has a wiping engagement with the ring 44 as best shown in Fig. 4. This brush is connected to the input side of the tubing 42 on the hour hand and the output side of said. tubingis grounded as at Ma and which ground may well be the arbor 3|.

In Fig. 2, I have illustrated two transformers .48 and 49, the former being associated with the circuit of the tubings 26-21 on the rotatable support or disc l9 and the latter being associated with the series circuit of the tubing forming the numerals M on the annular dial l2 and the tubing 4l42 of the hands33 and 34 respec-v tively. These transformers are of. the type adapted to supply current of requisite character for the operation of the luminous tubes of the in ertialess type. Each transformer is operatively connected to a positive conductor '50, while a suitable make and break device 5| is interposed between each transformer and a negative conductor 52.

The make and break device which best appears in Figs. 2 and 3 includes a pair of cam discs 53--53a both driven by a suitable type of electric motor 54 at the desired speed. In each disc is one or more notches 55 as appears in Fig. 3. Associated with each cam disc is a mercury tube switch 5G-5'| each mounted on an arm 58 pivoted at one end 59 for rocking movement. The other end of each arm carries a lug 58a which rides on the periphery of the associated cam 53--53a. Each tube switch includes a con tainer in which are secured spaced contacts EG- BI and a quantity of mercury 62.: In the rota-- tion of the cams 53-53a, the associated arm 58 is caused to rise and fall and this will cause the mercury to move from a position in the tube which causes a making of a circuit between the contacts 60-6l to one breaking the circuit between said contacts.

Each transformer includes primary and second-.

ary windings 68 and 63 respectively. One end of the primary winding of each transformer is con-' One end of the secondary winding 63 of the u transformer 48 is connected by a conductor 64' with the brush I! before mentioned. The other end of said winding is connected to the brush it by a conductor 64a. The mid point of said winding is grounded as at 65.

ed by a conductor 66 with the input side of the tubing forming the numeral 52. The other end of the secondary winding of the transformer 49 is grounded as at 61.

broken to the various tubings in accordance with the control as afforded by the switches 56-5'I of the make and break device 5|. Thus there is provided a plurality of elements, capable of illuminae tion and capable of producing real and unreal.

images and one of said elements is stationary or non-rotative While others are illuminated and rotated at different speeds relative to each other.

It is apparent that the periods of illumination of the various elements are intermittent and this in combination with the movement of the movable elements produces changing displays that will naturally attract attention thereto. By changing One end of the secondary winding 63 of the transformer 49 is connect- ,.45: It is apparent that in the rotation of the disc 8 and the hands 33--34, circuits are made and;

the speed of rotative disc, and by changing'the off and on periods of illumination these displays. or effects are likewise changed and there-- fore a multitude of variations in the display is possible.

While in describing the invention, I have ferred in detail to the form, arrangement andconstruction of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense, 1

so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a stationary support, a dial on, said sta tionary' support and having characters thereon, illuminable hands operatively associated with said dial, asecond support rotatively mounted on said stationary I support coaxial with said dial and hands, illuminable means on said second support and arranged as a design, means for moving said hands relative to the dial and to each other, means for rotating said second support at a speed different from that of the hands, and means for causing illumination of said hands and said illuminable means at desired intervals.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a stationary support, a dial on said stationaty support'and having illuminable characters thereon, illuminable hands operatively associated with said dial, a second support rotatively mounted on said stationary support coaxial with said dial and hands, illuminable means on said second support and arranged as a design, means for moving said hands relative to the dial and to each other, means for rotating said second support at a speed different from that of the hands, and means for causing illumination of said dial characters, said hands and saidilluminable means at the desired intervals.

3; In. a device of the kind described, the combination of a stationary support, a dial on said stationary support and having illuminable characters thereon, illuminable'hands operatively associated with said dial, a second support rotatively mounted on said stationary support coaxial with said dial and hands, illuminable means on said second support and arranged as a design, means'for moving said'hands relative to the dial and toeach other, means for rotating said second support at a speed different from that of the hands, means for causing illumination of said dial characters and hands, and other means for causing' illumination of said illuminable means at desired intervals.

4. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a stationary support, an annular dial on said stationary support and having illuminable characters thereon, illuminable hands operatively associated with said annular dial, a member arranged on said support for rotation axially of and within said annular dial, illuminable means mounted on said member and arranged as a design thereon, means for moving said hands relative to the dial and to each other, means for rotating said member at a speed different from that of the hands, and means for causing illumination of said illuminable means on said member at the desired intervals.

5. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a stationary support, an annular dial. on said stationary support and having illuminable tubing characters thereon, hands operatively associated with said dial and carrying illuminable tubing, a member arranged on said support for rotation axially of and within said annular dial, illuminable tubing on said member arranged as a design, means for moving said hands relative to the dial and to each other, means for rotating said member at a speed different from that of the hands, means for causing the illumination of the tubing on the dial and hands respectively at the desired intervals, and means for causing the illumination f the tubing on said member at desired intervals during the rotation of said member.

6. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an annular dial having illuminable characters thereon, illuminable hands operatively associated with the dial, a support arranged axially of the dial for rotation, illuminable tubings, arranged in a plurality of different formations on the support and connected in series, means for moving the hands relative to the dial and to each other, means for rotating the support, means for illuminating the hands, and means for causing illumination of the 'tubings on the support at the desired intervals during its rotation.

7. In a device of the kind described, a support including a bearing member, means providing an annular dial on said support and having characters thereon, arbors journalled in said bearing member, illuminable hands, one secured to each arbor, a second support rotatably mounted on the bearing member, illuminable tubing carried on said second support, means for driving said arbors in timed relation so that said hands move with respect to the dial and to each other, means for driving said second support, means for illuminating said hands, and means for causing illumination of said tubing on said second support at the desired intervals during the rotation thereof.

8. In a device of the kind described, a support including a bearing member, means providing an annular dial on said support and having characters thereon, arhcrs journalled in said bearing member, illuminable hands, onesecured to each arbor, a second support rotatably mounted on the bearing member and provided with an annular toothed portion, a motor on said support, means driven by said motor and operatively connected to said toothed portion so as to drive said second support, illuminable tubing carried by said sec ond support, means for driving said arbors in timed. relation so that said hands move with respect to the dial and to each other, means for illuminating said hands, and means for causing illumination of the tubing on said second supportat the desired intervals during the rotation thereof.

9. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an annular dial member having illuminable characters thereon, illuminable hands operatively associated with said dial member, a support arranged axially of the dial for rotation, illuminable tubing on said support, means for moving the hands relative to said dial and to each other, means for rotating the support, series circuit for said illuminable characters and hands, means for making and breaking said circuit at the desired timed intervals, a second circuit for said tubing on said support, and other means for making and breaking said second circuit.

10. In a device of the kind described, means providing an annular dial member having characters thereon, a rotatable supporting member arranged axially with respect to said dial member and having a plurality of illuminable tubings thereon arranged in different outline forms to coast in producing a composite figuration, a plurality of illuminable hands mounted coaxially with said support and dial member, means for moving the hands with respect to the dial and to each other, and means for controlling the periods of illumination of said hands and said plurality of illuminable tubings on said support.

11. In a dial of the kind described, the combination of a dial with characters thereon and associated rotatably mounted illuminable hands, a member mounted for rotation coaxial with said dial and hands, illuminable means arranged in the desired design on said member with portions overlapping said dial, means for moving the hands relative to the dial and to each other, means for rotating said member at a speed difierent from that of the hands, and means for causing illumination of said illuminable hands and said illuminable means respectively at the desired intervals.

12. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a dial with characters thereon and associated rotatably mounted illuminable hands, amember mounted for rotation coaxial with said dial and hands, illuminable means arranged as a plurality of designs, one of which has portions disposed in operative relation with respect to the dial, means for moving the hands relative to the dial and to each other, means for rotating said member at a speed different from that of the hands, and means for causing illumination of said illuminable hands and said illuminable means respectively at the desired intervals.

13. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a dial with characters thereon and associated rotatably mounted illuminable hands, a member mounted for rotation coaxial with said dial and hands, illuminable means arranged as inner and outer designs with parts of the latter overlapping the dial, means for moving the hands relative to the dial and to each other, means for rotating said member at a speed faster than that of the said hands, and means for causing illumination of said illuminable hands and said illuminable means respectively at the desired intervals.

14. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an annular dial having illuminable characters thereon, illuminable hands operatively associated with the dial, a support arranged axially of the dial for rotation, illuminable tubing on said support and arrangedin a geometrical design with a portion overlapping a part of the dial, means for moving the hands relative to the dial and to each other, means for rotating the support, means for illuminating the hands, and

means for causing illumination of the tubing on the support at the desired intervals during the rotation of said support.

15. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an annular dial having illuminable characters thereon, illuminable hands operatively associated with and spaced forwardly of said dial, a support arranged axially of the dial for rotation,

illuminable tubing carried by said support and ar ranged in a plane between said hands and dial respectively and having a portion arranged to overlap a part of the latter, means for moving the hands relative'to the dial and to each other, means for rotating the support, means for illuminating the handsyand means for causing illumi-- nation of the tubings on the support at the desired intervals during its rotation.

16. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a stationary member formed to provide an annular dial having illuminable characters thereon, illuminable hands operatively associated with the dial, a support arranged axially of the dial for rotation, an illuminable tubing formation on said support, means providing a brush and collector ring mechanism on said member and rotatable support respectively and to which the illuminable tubing on the rotatable support is electrically connected, electric circuits, one for said illuminable characters and hands respectively and one for said brush and collector ring mechanism, a transformer in the circuit for said brush and collector ring mechanism, a switch mechanism for controlling the off and onperiods,

for both circuit, means for moving the hands, and means for rotating said support at a speed difierent from that of said hands,

17. In a device of the kind described, the com bination of a stationary member formed to provide an annular dial with characters thereon outlined by illuminable tubing, hands operatively associated with said dial and also outlined by illuminable tubing, a support arranged axially of the dial for rotation, an illuminable tubing formation on said support, means providing a brush and collector mechanism on said member and rotat- 

